PARIS (Reuters) — Afghanistan has reported two outbreaks of a highly contagious bird flu virus, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Tuesday, citing a report from the Afghan agriculture ministry.

In the latest avian flu developments, two more countries in the Middle East — Iraq and Afghanistan — reported highly pathogenic H5 outbreaks, and Germany reported its first H5N6 detection, according to separate reports from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). The outbreaks in Iraq and Afghanistan come as Saudi Arabia continues its battle against the rapidly spreading H5N8 strain.

The H5 virus was detected in a backyard in Kabul where it killed 6 birds and in the Bagrami village nearby, where it killed 15, the Paris-based OIE said in a report posted on its website.

In other developments, Afghanistan’s livestock ministry said testing on rooks that flew out of a forest near the city of Khost and died revealed highly pathogenic H5. Khost is in eastern Afghanistan on the border with Pakistan. Rooks are members of the raven family. Of 17 birds found in the outbreak, 14 died, and 3 others were destroyed as part of the response.

In its report to the OIE, Afghanistan said the outbreak is its first since 2007.

Elsewhere, Bangladesh reported another outbreak involving H5N1, and South Africa recently detected H5N8 again, this time in a wild bird.